River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-02-03

voice Vas SLOW ana grave ana Welghty.
1t was a Saturday afternoon in the
middle of the term. | sat beside him
at the table, listening meekly to his
criticisms.
You miss the point here, Miss
Chrystal "
Yes, Mr.. Tudor :"
"And here you speak of Impeachment
As though it were procedure by bill =
Yes, Mr.. Tudor
That is a somewhat grave mistake.
could not acquiesce again. And
the monosyllable Yes was the only
form of answer that came to me-
And ere. | think. you were re
quired to discuss the constitutional i'm
portance of these events?"
Yes. Mr.. Tudor
You have not done so. Miss Chrys-
tai.
"No-I am afraid am afraid not.
You mistook the question. posi-
blyP"
He was looking gravely at me, wait
ing My spoken answer, like my
written answer, was not very much To
the point.
"What is the good of it all?'' | said.
"What does it matter about the judicial
system and who has the control of tax
alton? What does it matter about the
Parliament, and the court, and all the
duh old laws? One can't really care
for the Constitution.
| had time while he sat surveying
me to feel ashamed of my babyish,
passionate speech.
What made YOU think of devoting
yourself to tho study of constitutional
history" he said with gentle surprise.
His gentleness seemed like satire. Ny
eyes, in spite of myself, suddenly filled
with tears. Suddenly he looked away
from me. He asked me no more ques-
tons. For the next five minutes he
talked rapidly without pause. When
| resolutely blinked back my tears and
glanced at him he was diligently
distiguring my history paper with
crooked circles, and his face was less
brown and rudy.
After that day his eyes ceased to
twinkle when he looked at me; he
passed me over in class and put the
puzzling questions to Nell and Claudia,
and was always gentle when | went
alone to him. He gave up asking me
to expound this theory and that argu-
ment, which he had failed to follow:
and when he was forced to condemn
my work he worded his blame mildly
and looked away as he spoke.
''He has forgiven you, Cts, said the
girls. He completely ignores You
now-for which you are thankful, Cts.
are YOU not?"
VERY thankful | said. / said il
impressively, for needed to convince
myself as well as the girls.
| was inconsistent, for | began to
wish that he would find me amusing
again, and to feel pangs of disappoint-
ment in class when he passed me over,
and to desire, with quite unreasonable
eagerness, that he should look at me
again, even if his eyes should have
laughter i'll their depths.
But every week the laughter seemed
further away. And if he was grave in
class he was graver still Saturdays.
He gazed steadily at my paper as be
discussed it, and discussed it as though
in dream. He no longer thought me
| flippant and conceited and foolish and
tried to cure me- He no longer
thought of me at all.
1t was only at the end of the term
that he set aside his pertunctory tutor
manner.
"Are YOU going home Miss Chrystal?'
he asked me, hesitatingly.
"Yes. Not ut once, though. EeI
a week or two am going to stay with
Claudia-Miss Harrison, Imean. Then
she will come home with me.
Il may be spending my holidays near
you. Perhaps-possibly-we may meet
/ each other.
20, yes, very possibly" l said. And
suddenly ! felt light-hearted at the
thought of holidays There was a
little pause, and l rose and held out
my hand.
1T is somewhere in Devonshire, is it
not?'' he said.
"What?'
your home?"
Yes. Axetown East, Quite lit
tie placeon the coast. Have you friends
there. Mr.. Tudor?"
- No" he said, doubtfully Il be-
lieye- believe the fishing is good?'
And it did not strike me as strange
that he should be going to a place in
which he had no friends, and of which
he did not know the name and county.
But did not tell the girls what he
told me. 1t was only at the end of my
visit to Claudia that | broke the news
to her broke it casually.
''He came for the fishing" ] said
And father and the boys seem-acci-
dently-to have come across him.
s.Never mind, said Claudia.
No, it does not matter | said re
signedly.
Claudia was sympathetic next day
when we arrived at Axetown East. In a
short fortnight Mr.. Tudor had made
great strides toward friendship with all
at home. He had found favor with
father and the boys; his hotel was
comfortless. and he deserted it frequent
". He came and went at all hours,
laughed and smoked with the boys and
talked sensibly like an old friend and
father. He was more bronzed thanever;
for a fortnight he had been fishing and
rowing and walking with energy He
laughed as | had sometimes suspected
he could laugh; he had left his tutor
manners behind him with cap and gown.
Suddenly now, at the end of fortnight.
he had grown tired of fishing and of
lonely boating and walking. lie haunt
ed our house; he seemed to be always
where was. Claudia was sympathetic.
and, somehow felt traitorous when |
received her sympathy.
1t was a still, warm summer evening
a day or two after our arrival. We
were in the drawing-room downstairs,
and the French windows were open
wide. Father was showing Mr.. Tudor
some views ofplaces abroad where he had
been stationed at different times. Sud
denly on the still air came voice from
the garden. Claudia was coming up
the walk with my brother George.
"And that is the story she said, :"
1T doesn't seem quite modest thing
10 say a man bushes when you speak
to him. Poor Cisi she has never been
happy in his presence since. lie viii
spoil her holiday. We try to praise
him sometimes; but as for Cis, she will
never say anything good of him. She
really dislikes him now
That's n pity said George, '.for